World champion hurdler Jason Richardson is confident a new generation of Chinese athletes will rise up and fill the shoes of Liu Xiang.

With oft-injured Liu, the former world and Olympic champion, slowly fading from the track and field spotlight, the sport's popularity has fallen in China in terms of attendance and ticket sales; a fact made evident by poor turnout at the IAAF Diamond League Shanghai at the weekend.

Some of the contenders in Shanghai, including Richardson, noticed the empty seats but remained upbeat about the sport's future in China.